Agritechnica Gold Medal introduction

A gold or silver medal is a significant feather in a company’s cap. Winners are sure to remind you that they’ve been awarded a medal, and these products often become the center point of conversation. It is also a way to recognize the latest innovations when it comes to agriculture.

Yes, there are awards that are a very big deal to those within the industry. I know that with the plethora of award ceremonies that inundate the television schedule, it’s very easy to become cynical when another award is highlighted.

But let me tell you about a series of awards in agriculture that are a very big deal within the industry, are highly regarded and sought after and perhaps give us all a glimpse of the future direction of innovation within the agricultural industry.

Every two years, the more than 100 acres of exhibition space at the Exhibition Grounds in Hannover become the go-to place for agricultural machinery and equipment. Agritechnica[3] will host more than 2,700 exhibitors from 47 countries during the second week of November. And it’s here that you will see everything you can imagine…and a lot more than iron.

One highlight of the event is the awarding of Gold and Silver medals by the German Agricultural Society (DLG) to the innovations competition. This year, nearly 400 companies submitted their latest innovation that will be on display at Agritechnica. An esteemed group of judges then award gold and silver medals to the companies and products. This year, four gold medals and 33 silver medals will be awarded during the show.

Having covered Agritechnica in 2011, I can tell you first-hand that a gold or silver medal is a significant feather in a company’s cap. Winners are sure to remind you that they’ve been awarded a medal, and these products often become the center point of conversation.

Sure, it is partly a way to boost a new product. But it is also a way to recognize the latest innovations when it comes to agriculture.

Additionally, it also gives some insight as to where agricultural innovation is heading. This year, nearly 90 percent of the submissions included further developments in the areas of electronics, sensor technology and software.

So while there will be a lot of new iron to see, the innovation will also come in a smaller package.

Farm Industry News will be at Agritechnica 2013 and provide daily updates during the show.

Here’s the list of this year’s medal winners:

Gold Medals

In potato harvesting the systems used for separating tuber-like impurities such as stones and clods of earth are predominantly mechanical. However, these are limited in performance efficiency, and especially with multiple-row harvesting machinery frequently represent a bottleneck. By combining a perforated conveyor base and an uplift airstream flowing through from below, a pneumatic separator device in which the direction of crop flow and hence the machine-specific potato throughput are retained without restrictions has been realized in harvesting machinery for the first time. During the passage through the separation area the tubers are virtually kept gently floating above the vibrating conveyor base, while the heavier stones and clods of earth drop down and are passed via a segmented lock to a removal belt. The quality and performance of separation can be infinitely adjusted from the tractor to the composition of the material being harvested by altering the combination of air flow rate and the inclination and frequency of the conveyor base. In addition to a high output per unit area coupled with reductions in manual post-sorting work, sites can be secured for potato cropping that would otherwise only be used following cost-intensive earth separation in spring.

With AXMAT, Rauch presents the world's first solution featuring automatic online measuring of fertilizer distribution and automatic adjustment of a disc fertilizer spreader to the fertilizer type in the tank and the desired working width. For the first time high fertilizer distribution precision is achieved automatically with the aid of microwave sensors and an automatic adjustment system on the fertilizer spreader. An arm swivelling about the distributor disc of a disc fertilizer spreader provided with microwaves records the spread fan position beneath the fertilizer spread fan, without contact, and sets the spread pattern automatically to the desired working width with the aid of the rotatable tank bottom and dosing aperture. During the spreading process, the spreading pattern is monitored permanently and the discharge point of the fertilizer to the distributor disc is readjusted automatically as required. The novel, automatic self-setting of the fertilizer spreader to the required working width makes it possible to achieve higher precision than is otherwise encountered in conventional adjustment practice and achieves this without the need for any spreading test on the field. The permanent self-monitoring of the spread fan also allows automatic online readjustment of the setting system to the set working width in response to changing fertilizer batches or changes in weather conditions. It improves fertilizer efficiency, reduces emissions and fertilizer costs, and increases the yield security. Initial test results of the French test institute IRESTEA confirm the said advantages of the system.

For the first time a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle will be offered for agricultural use with the option of switching the drive between electrical and diesel-electrical. In the electric mode the 30 kWh lithium battery supplies the machine with energy – it works quietly and emission-free and can thus also be used in closed buildings. In the hybrid mode the diesel engine operating at constant speed supplies the power for traction drive and charges the battery at the same time. This drive architecture makes it possible to halve the rated output of the diesel engine without restricting the effective work of the loader. In addition, during the low-load or idling phases that frequently occur in telehandler use, the drive can in turn be powered purely electrically, as a result of which the fuel costs and CO2 emissions in conjunction with the downsized engine can be reduced by up to 30%. A further reduction in costs results from charging the plug-in hybrids from the electricity grid or the PV system.

The CLAAS Online Simulator for operating harvesting machinery and tractors allows the complete working behaviour of a machine under a wide variety of conditions to be mapped dynamically on a PC interface for the first time. Machinery operators can thus be trained in operating a complex harvesting machine or tractor independently and outside operating times, online and interactively at the PC. With the aid of evaluated telemetric and process data, virtual control devices and operating elements, the software largely represents real operating conditions and procedures of a machine. This allows optimal training for the complex operation of harvesting machinery to be carried out already prior to harvesting work. Such training makes it possible to substantially boost the technical potential of the harvesting machinery already during the first days of use for harvesting. Operating faults and damage to machinery can be reduced in this way. New drivers can be familiarized quickly with the machine. Experienced drivers can refresh their knowledge through regular training and continuously improve their performance potential. Considerable savings in cost and time can be achieved already from day one by better handling of expensive harvesting machinery.

Silver Medals

In square balers a higher compaction density has so far been achieved by a higher flywheel mass in the drive train. Kuhn solves the challenge of torque peaks with the “twin pact principle”. Instead of one plunger, two plungers arranged on top of each other compact the crop in two phases. Using a triangular linkage between crankshaft and piston, the lower plunger first compacts the lower part of the harvested material. The upper plunger then follows and compacts the upper part of the package. This interrupts the torque peaks developing and distributes them between two stages. The result is bale densities up to 25% higher with the same flywheel mass. The necessary drive power is comparable with that for the conventional baler LSB 1290.

So far, eliminating blockages in the area of the crop intake on self-loading trailers and combinations has always meant more or less labour-intensive and time-intensive interruption of the loading operation. The new system allows the previously manual individual steps of eliminating blockages to proceed automatically. After the overload safeguard responds, the articulated drawbar is raised automatically, the cutter unit base lowered, the pick-up drive uncoupled and the scraper bottom allowed to run forward a little. An acoustic signal then provides the instruction to switch on the pto shaft. The trailer is subsequently restored automatically to ready-to-operate condition. In addition to distinctly higher operating comfort for the driver – connected with a perceptible relief of the workload, especially on long working days – the new system leads to faster and more efficient elimination of blockages. This improves the process and working safety and hence the cost-efficiency of the machine operation. Furthermore, it is gentle on the machine.

In positively steered axle systems, the steered axles of the trailer are steered in a predetermined (fixed) ratio depending on the steering angle of the tractor. If the basic setting of the system is selected such that the positively steered axles only carry out relatively small steering movements in relation to the steering angle of the tractor, this has positive results for driving stability at fast speeds, but negative consequences for manoeuvrability of the tractor-trailer train. The tyres are exposed to stronger wear in tight bend radii. If a larger steering angle of the steered axles is realized, this promotes manoeuvrability – but at the cost of driving stability. The solution from Claas now offers speed-dependent automatic adjustment of the positive steering. This is adapted optimally and completely automatically to the driving situation. Accordingly faulty operation is avoided – the system always selects the optimal compromise between manoeuvrability and driving stability. In addition, in tight bends the driver is warned by the articulation angle assistant using an acoustic signal before any collision occurs between tractor and trailer drawbar.

The AQUA NON STOP COMFORT is the first automatic wet-grinding device for self-loading trailer and baler knives. Independently of the wear condition of the knives, they are no longer ground according to fixed radii, but instead exactly along their individual blade contour. The device processes up to 45 knives per cycle. Thanks to the exchangeable templates a wide range of knife types can be ground exactly to the right contour.

A pto gear unit that can be switched under-load has been realized for the first time. Depending on the engine load, switching takes place automatically between nominal pto shaft speed and eco shaft speed. This is of particular benefit where conditions of use change frequently and it expands the spectrum of the eco pto shaft applications considerably – instabilities in operation are avoided.

By contrast with a conventional engine brake, the braking effect is achieved by choking the oil flows of the working hydraulics and at the same time closing the electronic visco coupling of the fan. This increases the braking action and ensures cooling of the heated hydraulic oil. Altogether, in conjunction with a 3.6 l diesel engine, the system achieves a higher braking effect than with the 4.1 l predecessor model that used a conventional engine brake. For safety reasons the braking effect is limited depending on the steering angle.

Depending on customer wishes, ½", ¾", standard or optionally appropriate flatface couplings (FFC) can be screwed into a universal coupling block. For the first time it is possible for customers to change over or retrofit from standard to flatface couplings. Together with the coupling block and FFC, this secures a leakage-oil-free break-away function and minimizes flow losses and dirt influx into the hydraulic system. Hitching and unhitching under pressure becomes possible and oil losses are minimized.

The tractor can be moved forwards and backwards by push button from outside the cab. Consequently implements can not only be hitched more easily, but also more safely than so far, as especially the accident-prone mounting and dismounting is distinctly reduced. The system is operated with the hand-brake activated and can thus also be used on slopes.

In order to improve the manoeuvrability and suitability of the tractor for front loading operations, the rear axle can be steered too. In conjunction with the infinitely variable drive, which is not very widespread in this performance category, the front-loading tractor achieves almost the same functionality as a wheeled loader and can save the farmer having to invest in an additional special machine.

The two-stage front pto shaft transmission can be switched via radio. This makes it possible to work with the front cable winch at low load with either lower engine rpm or higher skidding speed. The engine rpm can also be remotely controlled for fine adjustment. If the front pto shaft is not needed, the automatic function switches the engine off after three minutes.

Most of the optimizing work in combine adjustments is carried out by a simple visual check of the harvested material in the grain tank. Yet, looking into the grain tank is not only difficult to realize ergonomically, but can also deceive. Sensor developments for assessing the grain quality have, however, not been effectual so far. The Grain Quality Camera from Claas is a high-resolution, colour camera on the elevator head. It produces pictures of the threshed material in the crop flow. The images are evaluated with regard to non-grain components and broken grain and the results are shown in the operator terminal display as bar charts, including boundary level warnings. In addition, for the first time the driver is able to see the colour images continuously and thus distinguish between loose and adherent non-grain components. This creates a new and more exact basis for assessing the grain quality and thus for optimizing the threshing and cleaning settings on combines.

Particularly where large working widths are concerned, uniform distribution of the chopped material is a challenge that is rendered more difficult by side winds and slope locations. So far drivers have had to correct the throw direction of the chopped material by visual checks in the rear view mirror or on a camera image. Thus in side wind and side slope conditions it was vital to adjust the direction of throw on each turning operation. The Wind and Slope Incline Sensor from Claas is located at the two rear lighting arms of the combine. With its plate-shaped design, it records the side wind at this position and at the same time the slope incline by moving sideways or swinging vertically depending on the wind strength. The highest sensor deflection and its frequency are offset, so that influences due to slipstream and wind gusts are suppressed. The radial spreader throws the straw accordingly against the side wind or upslope. Thus for the first time instrumentation and control technology for uniform straw distribution from a combine is available.

Straw-walker combines cause high grain losses on hilly fields because the flow of crop onto the straw-walkers is impaired – resulting in higher grain losses uphill and downhill. Moreover, threshing crops such as e.g. maize require adapted straw-walker frequencies because the conveyor properties differ from those of grain straw. The Opti-Speed control system from New Holland alters the speed of the straw-walker shafts as a function of the slope inclination and the crop to be harvested. The speed is reduced during uphill travel and increased on the downhill track. In both cases this results in a crop layer thickness similar to that achieved when harvesting on level ground. Accordingly, grain losses are reduced by comparison with a fixed straw-walker shaft speed. Furthermore, when selecting the combine settings for a different grain crop, the straw-walker shaft rpm matching this crop is loaded in the information system. This adjustment and instrumentation control of the straw-walker shaft speed to the harvesting and working conditions is being shown for the first time and is therefore to be assessed as a significant further development in straw-walker combines.

As with all harvesting headers on combines, the working widths of maize headers and hence the transport widths are increasing too. In the case of maize headers with customary folding technology the pivot points have so far been arranged horizontally and lengthways to the direction of travel. For maize headers that fold in this way with a row spacing of 0.75 metres, the admissible transport width of 3.5 metres was exceeded for working widths of more than eight rows. The foldable maize picker from Cressoni is different. It is equipped with a new turning mechanism that limits the transport width of ten-row and twelve-row maize pickers without chopper units following the pickers to 3.45 metres. The side section widths are connected with the centre section via a vertical thrust rotating shaft. For transport they are first lifted, then turned through 90 degrees lengthways to the direction of travel and fixed with the divider hoods against each other over the centre section. This new folding mechanism not only limits the transport width, but also improves forward visibility during transport travel and is thus an innovative further development of maize pickers.

Especially when introducing slurry into the ground, irrespective of the type of implement selected for spreading, the monitoring and regulating of the flow in the spreading hoses is a challenge. The novel Flow Check sensor monitors the flow in each spreading hose with an acoustic signal. If the slurry flow is interrupted, the driver receives an acoustic warning – an LED display shows the clogged hose. Thanks to this automatic warning the burden of work on the driver is relieved and it is also ensured that no gaps due to blocked spreading equipment occur when fertilizing. Clogging by the sensor itself is ruled out – there is no contact with the slurry. For protection against external influences the sensor is accommodated in a box so that cleaning with a high pressure cleaner is also possible. Furthermore, this sensor can be retrofitted.

Recovering harvest residues after the grain-maize harvest is becoming increasingly significant. This additional biomass can be used as renewable raw material in heating power stations or biogas plants, but also as litter or feedstuff in animal husbandry. The new Corn-rower is a chopping corn head attachment that reduces the harvest residue at the maize header with special knives and deposits it in a swath using elbow-shaped deflector panels. This forms the bed for cobs and cleaning tailings from the combine. Accordingly, for the first time a high component of harvest residues can be harvested from the finished swath with low dirt content and without additional labour outlay.

The zig-zag separator from Ambros Schmelzer & Sohn (ID 286) with its further development of previous air separator technology represents an essential improvement of the previous system. Newly developed guiding panels in the implement allow the crop to move in zig-zag course. This allows air to flow through the crop in several streams and clean it intensively. The crucial innovation is not only the modified flow of crop, but the actual loss measurement using piezo sensors. For the first time sensors allow measurement that opens directly in the blower control. Consequently, depending on the crop to be cleaned and on the basis of real-time loss measurement, the air volume of the blower can be controlled. This can lower losses to below 0.05%, which represents a substantial improvement of the cleaning process.

Prompt weighing of the crop with appropriate precision, integrated into the agricultural processes, is a key prerequisite for determining the yield in harvesting or for monitoring solid manure spreading or mineral fertilizing. The central property of the ISOBUS-based weighing system FWS 2014 is that it can be calibrated. This solution functions with all task controller-capable ISOBUS displays, so that data are provided for farm management information systems (FMIS). The basis for legally secured billing is formed by an “alibi memory” for the plausibility of all data and coded communication. Further benefits of the overall system include the universal compatibility, data documentation, new functions (such as determining the spreading rate), relieving the workload for the driver/operator and avoiding recording errors.

The potential of agricultural machinery and equipment is frequently not exhausted, as so far attention has hardly focused on training in the use of the complex functions outside actual field assignments. With IsoMatch InDemo and IsoMatch Simulator, alternative didactic concepts for using simulation technology for practical operation are offered. In the case of IsoMatch InDemo, an ISOBUS plug is connected on the tractor and allows training or demonstration of a mounted implement via the ISOBUS terminal without having to mount the genuine machine. IsoMatch Simulator brings the functions of the ISOBUS – without any further additional equipment – to the PC at home and allows training of work operations using the GPS data of the farm’s own field. From user training to demonstration by the dealer, both variants increase transparency, save time and are easy to handle.

Fertilizer rates are generally measured on the basis of soil sample analyses. The samples have to be sent to a laboratory for the soil nutrients to be determined – which is expensive and time-consuming. In the manual equipment presented, nutrients (N, P, K) are determined quickly directly on the field (“lab on chip”). For this purpose a watery solution of soil samples or plant extracts is produced and analyzed by special sensors in the equipment. Thanks to the low analysis costs and immediate availability of the results, the number of analyses can be distinctly increased. The developments thus make it possible to enhance the precision of needs-driven fertilizing in agriculture and horticulture.

Making tramlines with pneumatic drilling machines when changing tramline rhythms and at different track widths is frequently connected with complicated readjustment work. For these cases the Intelligent Distribution System from Pöttinger with individually switching distributor head outlets offers unique flexibility and exceptional comfort when forming tramlines, with exact and constant seeding quantity per row. Track gauges, track widths and tramline rhythms can be selected simply at the operator terminal. Once a tramline is formed, the seed quantity per hectare remains constant due to seed return coupled with proportional reduction of the volume dosed. The individually selectable half-width shut-off (left or right) allows drilling to be started from both sides. "Section Control" allows exact drilling on wedge-shapes in fields. These technical solutions set new standards in flexibility, precision and comfort.

With the PCS-Precision Combiseeding implement Pöttinger presents a novel, innovative concept that realizes grain drilling and precision drilling (e.g. maize, sunflower) in a single machine. This combined implement saves investment in a separate precision drilling machine. The changeover from seed drilling to precision drilling can be carried out simply and comfortably. One machine allows four applications: grain seeding, maize seeding with or without fertilizing and maize seeding coupled with under-sowing (erosion control). Multiple use of this machinery combination expands the spectrum of applications and reduces the fixed operating costs per hectare. Furthermore, this machine features sensor monitoring of the longitudinal seed distribution and displays incorrect and double placement per row on the terminal.

Optimal water supply for productive plants is a prerequisite for maximum yields, especially in professional irrigated farming. At the same time the growing demand for water calls for significant improvements in irrigation efficiency in order to conserve the globally diminishing water resources. With the Smart Irrigation System, John Deere presents an innovative concept for row crops (e.g. maize) that allows the farmer to plan and control site-specific and plant-specific irrigation, based on real-time measurements of the soil water content and wireless transmission of the measurement data to the office computer using a web-based expert system. The complete solution offered contains John Deere’s high-precision, RTK-controlled installation of soakage hoses, a special soil moisture sensor for measuring the soil water content in several layers, wireless data transmission (alongside water content and air temperature and humidity, also rainfall quantity, solar radiation, etc.), different soakage hoses (optionally) for precise water distribution, and a head station with coordinated components (pumps, filters, valves, fertilizer infeed, etc.). This system allows efficient use of water, nutrients, energy and labour in irrigation, coupled with fertilizing at the same time. The RTK-controlled and correspondingly documented laying out of the soakage hoses also allows problem-free use of tillage and drilling machinery and equipment without damaging the hoses.

The trend towards lower seeding intensities when drilling grain and oilseed rape strengthens the demand for thinning equipment for these crop types. Furthermore, practical tests confirm not only an increase in yield, but also potentials for savings in seed, fertilizers and fungicides. Horsch presents a new, innovative metering method based on the platform of the existing Pronto DL drilling machine. The seedbed is prepared from a central hopper with the aid of a central volume metering unit. This pre-dosed seed is conveyed pneumatically and delivered to the respective seed row via a deflector distributor head. Thus up to the coulter, the seed delivery takes place totally conventionally without further changes to the standard drilling machine. Each seed row possesses a dosing unit on the top side of the coulter for thinning the seed flow from the distributor head. In this dosing unit the unsorted, volumetrically dosed seed flow is prepared and passed, thinned, to the down-tube. The desired orderly and thinned seed flow is then obtained at the outlet of the dosing unit. The newly developed equipment for precision drilling of grain allows very high thinning frequencies in order to keep up with the performance efficiency of today's drilling machinery with travel speeds of 10 to 12 km/h. The new precision metering unit is able to dose up to 120 grains/sec with a frequency of up to 120 Hz, i.e. a seeding rate of 240 grains/m2 at 12 km/h with row spacing of 15 cm in precision drilling quality. High grain frequencies combined with high travel speed do not permit a longitudinal distribution variation coefficient at the level of maize and sugar beet of 20 to 30% to be achieved safely in the field. However, the newly developed thinning metering unit makes it possible to achieve variation coefficient levels of 40 to 50% in practice and thus come very close to the classic precision drill implement. This solution will upgrade existing pneumatic drilling machinery to precision drills without losing the performance rate of the drilling machine.

The depth guidance of semi-mounted cultivators has so far generally been managed via depth guidance wheels (support wheels) mounted on the vehicle frame and the following roller. On level ground, this construction design enables relatively constant adherence to the set working depth – and the load on the support wheels is comparatively constant. However, when cultivating on rugged ground, long cultivators particularly work too deep when crossing over a hump and too shallow when passing over a short dip. Customary traction reinforcement systems that act exclusively on the cultivator drawbar and not via the three-point hydraulic lift admittedly allow good ground adjustment under these conditions – but the load transmission to the tractor is uneven. In the new control system the load acting on the support wheels is continuously measured and serves for hydraulic control of the roller position. If the support load drops, the roller is raised – the cultivator works into the ground until a pre-set support wheel load is reached again, and vice versa. The effect of the traction reinforcer is virtually constant despite the control. This novel system relieves the load above all on the operator and serves to achieve constant quality of work.

The problem of different spreading rates when negotiating bends is frequently encountered in practice, as the spreading rate is lower than the set value at the outer edge of the bends, and higher at the inner edges. Many arable fields are not rectangular, or include obstacles that involve driving round them. This can cause deviations of 40 to 160% from the set value of the application quantity for a 36 m boom. The Curves~Control~ Application regulates the spread quantity in such a way that the average value per section corresponds to the set value. This is made possible by calculating the data in the bend travel module. The necessary data are generated by a sensor for the curve radius (similar to the sensor for steering true track following), the measured speed of the wheel sensor, the machine data and the set value of the spreading rate per hectare (l/ha or kg/ha). This calculation determines how much percentage deviation exists in the individual sections compared with the set value. The job calculator balances the deviations in the sections. It controls the quantity spread by switching nozzles on the multiple nozzle carrier on or off, changing the spray pressure in the section, or combining both parameters.

The LEMKEN Swing Cut achieves improved, more uniform spreading of plant protection agents by active cushioning of the boom yawing movements. These horizontal movements in and against the direction of travel develop e.g. as a consequence of acceleration when starting, lifting and lowering, ground unevenness or wind. So far booms on field sprayer equipment have generally been attached on the basic implement in pendulum form and carried with passive spring and shock absorbing elements. However, active adjustment of these elements to various movement stimuli during travel was not possible. The use of semi-active cushioning systems (including shock absorbers with electrical or magnetorheological fluids) on the boom of the plant protection implement represents a novel form of damping the movement and allows the system to be controlled. With the help of a novel 3-D camera, the movements of the boom are recorded and if they exceed the set boundary values (calibration) the system intervenes actively in the damping work. This represents a continuous response to the current driving situation. Thanks to the optimized boom position, the uniformity of transverse and longitudinal distribution in dynamic operation is considerably improved.

The new development of the Horsch Leeb boom control allows exact and safe sprayer boom guidance over the crop. This type of active boom guidance is the basic module for application at a very low distance from the target surface. Precise adaptation of the boom to the field contour is made possible by decoupling the boom absolutely from the chassis. This minimizes the negative influences of wind and thermal current on drift behaviour. The Horsch Leeb boom is mounted almost friction-free (ball bearings) close to the centre of gravity. Thus centrifugal forces such as occur, for instance, when negotiating bends have practically no influence on the boom position. In order to be able to adjust the boom to the ground contour, a control that allows forces to be introduced selectively into the boom via two hydraulic cylinders in such a way that the boom remains free despite introduction of this force has been developed. This is achieved by the adjusting element following the movements of the carrier vehicle in real time, so that no interfering forces are introduced into the boom. In cases of necessary adjustment to slopes, the adjusting element presses on an elastomer element with a defined calculated path and accelerates the boom in rotational direction. Shortly before the desired position is reached, the opposite elastomer element is pressed and the rotational movement is slowed down. During this adjustment the position of the adjusting cylinder is constantly measured and regulated to compensate any rolling movements of the machine during adjustment too. This method has been made possible by using an extremely fast proportional hydraulic valve and developing a new control software with gyroscopic sensors.

easyFlow agrotop GmbH, Obertraubling, Germany Hall 15, Stand C30

easyFlow is a closed, contamination-free unloading system for liquid plant protection agents from small containers and canisters. The system consists of a tank and canister adapter. The tank adapter mounted on the implement side has a flushing water supply line. The canister adapter is screwed onto the canister (sealed or unsealed) using a cap nut. The fastening is secured by a bow handle and unloading is only possible by rotating this. The opening path can be controlled infinitely variably via the turning angle of the bow handle, thus regulating the speed of unloading. Once the desired amount has been reached, unloading is ended by turning the bow handle to the right and the closing piston is automatically locked. If a canister is emptied completely, it can be cleaned immediately via the flushing water connection. The cleaning fluid is also conveyed into the tank. The canister can thus be passed on immediately for waste disposal (e.g. PAMIRA) without any further measures being necessary. The canister adapter is also cleaned and can be used again directly. In developing easyFlow, special attention was paid to the product costs. Accordingly the actuations for most functions are located in the tank adapter, as only one per unit is required. This made it possible to keep the canister adapter simpler and lighter, so that procuring a number of canister adapters for different preparations no longer represents an essential cost factor.

A controlled laser scanner identifies the truck-trailer train driving behind the forage harvester and controls the throw curve. This avoids feed losses at the start of chopping. Automatic parallel loading in normal chopping operation is also possible with this system. The laser head is moved up and down by electric motors resulting in a three-dimensional map. Mathematical algorithms determine the top frame of the collection vehicle and adjust the throw curve accordingly. The automatic loading of the following collection vehicle means an enormous relief of the operator’s workload, especially at the start of harvesting and chopping the crop from the field. At the same time feed losses are minimized, so that in practical operation time and cost savings are achieved and at the same time the workload of the harvester driver is relieved.

The ICT (Implement Controls Tractor) software is an electronic system for optimizing the process and performance of tractor-implement combinations. The software uses the assignment parameters of a mounted agricultural machine to control the pulling tractor. Here the system is used for the first time in a square baler/tractor combination and allows the baler to run permanently at optimal performance via an automatic speed control. It is possible to choose between the working modes “maximum performance” and “maximum bale quality”. In the case of faults or overloading of a unit, the pto shaft is switched off automatically. Monitoring of the work components pick-up, knotter, cutter rotor and gatherer in the baler allows the workload to be substantially relieved. The automatic control of driving speed to achieve optimum performance leads to performance improvements of the machine combination and hence to savings in costs.